- I'm an avid Guardian reader.
- I can happily devour an entire packet of biscuits in one sitting.
- Deep-down, even at my lowest ebb, I'm still an optimist.
- I have a love for dance/electronic music, but my tastes are otherwise broad; rock to classical, hip-hop to indie.
- I'm 6'3".
- At the last count, I have visited 22 countries and rising... Travel is one of my great passions in life.
- Following a friends' recommendation I am currently a massive fan of 'The Shield' and secretly wish policing was a little more like that sometime.
- All the women I've had relationships with were born outside the UK.
- I drive too fast.
- I enter a ridiculous number of competitions. Someones got to win, surely?
- I'm intrigued by religion but am still an agnostic.
- Bad manners infuriate me - when you hold a door open for someone and they don't say thanks...
- I'm a bit of a romantic, really.
- Though I don't read as much as I used to, I've always got a book on the go.
- I think I'm starting to develop insomnia.
- Unusual for a bloke; but I love cats.
- I'm typing this to avoid packing. I move house on the 19th of this month.
- Before becoming a copper I worked as a bookseller, and prior to that for a small environmental charity in The New Forest.
- I'm a terrible, but slowly improving cook.
- When I get some more money through I would like to get a decent digital SLR camera and become a better photographer.
- I cannot function properly without a morning coffee.
- I long to be a father. Eventually.
- My heroes include Moby, Neil Armstrong, David Attenborough, Captain Scott and Ellen MacArthur.
- I have a strange fascination with cold places, particularly The Antarctic.
- I can still speak (rustily) fluent Swedish.
Showing posts with label weekends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weekends. Show all posts
Sunday, February 01, 2009
25 Random Things
Another one of those meme things...
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Live to work, or work to live?
Much as I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with my job, I think I certainly fall into the latter category.
One of the nice things about my shift pattern is that I work six days on, four days off. That may sound like a lot, but consider that the first day begins as soon as I knock-off at 07:00hrs and is mostly slept away in bed.
Four days off however does afford plenty of time to spend with the girlfriend. Although she’s happy to see me, the first day doesn’t exactly have much in-depth conversation short of me mumbling and complaining about sleep, or lack thereof.
Four days also affords plenty of time to plan stuff.
On this set of rest days we’ve managed to fit in a fair few things, despite her having to work 3 out of the 4 days.
Thursday in particular was excellent. Girlfriend maintains good communication and friendship with her ex-husband, who having met him a few times, I must concede is a very sound bloke. Indeed, one part of my brain is always thinking “Y’know, this is awkward;” every time we meet “He used to be married to my girlfriend.” But all the same I can’t fault him. I especially can’t fault a bloke who maintains good steady contact with girlfriend’s, his, son either.
So girlfriend’s ex-husband, who works as an engineer at a local RAF base, kindly extended the invitation to me to accompany them when the base’s annual friends & family day came around this year.
An excellent day was had by girlfriend, her lad, ex and I – perusing the stalls and watching an excellent flying display. Me being the quite the aircraft enthusiast reverted to a mental age younger than her son’s when the Typhoon slammed on its afterburners and the Vulcan cruised gracefully overhead. And as for The Red Arrows, they never fail to disappoint.
We managed to do some catching up at the cinema also and saw ‘The Dark Night’ and ‘WALL-E’. Two excellent films that show filmmakers at the top of their game in two very different ways. I could hark on about how truly brilliant both flicks are, but you should simply abandon any preconceptions you may have about either and go see. You won’t regret it.
An ice-cream here, a coffee there, but we did also go out for dinner here. Yum.
For the first time in a while I actually feel refreshed, mentally and physically, and ready to go back to work.
Let’s see how long that lasts.
One of the nice things about my shift pattern is that I work six days on, four days off. That may sound like a lot, but consider that the first day begins as soon as I knock-off at 07:00hrs and is mostly slept away in bed.
Four days off however does afford plenty of time to spend with the girlfriend. Although she’s happy to see me, the first day doesn’t exactly have much in-depth conversation short of me mumbling and complaining about sleep, or lack thereof.
Four days also affords plenty of time to plan stuff.
On this set of rest days we’ve managed to fit in a fair few things, despite her having to work 3 out of the 4 days.
Thursday in particular was excellent. Girlfriend maintains good communication and friendship with her ex-husband, who having met him a few times, I must concede is a very sound bloke. Indeed, one part of my brain is always thinking “Y’know, this is awkward;” every time we meet “He used to be married to my girlfriend.” But all the same I can’t fault him. I especially can’t fault a bloke who maintains good steady contact with girlfriend’s, his, son either.
So girlfriend’s ex-husband, who works as an engineer at a local RAF base, kindly extended the invitation to me to accompany them when the base’s annual friends & family day came around this year.
An excellent day was had by girlfriend, her lad, ex and I – perusing the stalls and watching an excellent flying display. Me being the quite the aircraft enthusiast reverted to a mental age younger than her son’s when the Typhoon slammed on its afterburners and the Vulcan cruised gracefully overhead. And as for The Red Arrows, they never fail to disappoint.
We managed to do some catching up at the cinema also and saw ‘The Dark Night’ and ‘WALL-E’. Two excellent films that show filmmakers at the top of their game in two very different ways. I could hark on about how truly brilliant both flicks are, but you should simply abandon any preconceptions you may have about either and go see. You won’t regret it.
An ice-cream here, a coffee there, but we did also go out for dinner here. Yum.
For the first time in a while I actually feel refreshed, mentally and physically, and ready to go back to work.
Let’s see how long that lasts.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Then it all went a little bit Pete Tong...
So I head back up north for the weekend and all breaks loose.
- Thierry Henry signs for Barcelona.
- Two of my long-term friends break up their respective relationships. One is married, the other unmarried with a young child.
- I end up waking up on the sofa of a friend-of-a-friend's place at stupid-o'clock on Sunday morning with no idea what the hell they're called and where my other drinking buddy got to. I had to discretely look around the living room for a bill and hope there was only one bloke living in the house and that was his name.
- Due to torrential rain and randomly open/closed roads my 90 min return journey took closer to 4 & 1/2hrs.
Next time I get all relaxed & zen I think I'll declare it a little less loudly.
However I'm now packed & ready to scoot down to see the girlfriend and then onward to Dublin on Thursday. Thanks for all the tips & things from everyone for Dublin. I shall most certainly report back with experiences & pics.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Work & few pleasures
My parents dropped by again on another flying visit yesterday, car and trailer full of goodies towed over from my auntie's place in Leeds.
As luck would have it since I've moved into this place a few of my relatives have decided to have clearouts and starting decking their places out like shiny MFI showrooms. Spare furniture has been donated to yours truly, which is absolutely fine by me. Besides, I think older second-hand stuff actually gives a place atmosphere, rather than the sterility of something right out of an advertising catalogue.
So I now have a bigger bed and a lovely solid new coffee table. As chance would have it those are just a two of my favourite things; beds and coffee. Good stuff.
Parents has also brought over the biggest Sheppard's Pie known to man and left a good half of it in my fridge, which will last me a few meals. Utterly delightful to come home to in an evening and only have to microwave for a few minutes.
Nothing particularly important to report from the weekend otherwise. A mixture of work and few pleasures. I'm still buckling under the weight of study pressure and expectation. But all I can do is try.
Joy, though - the new Faithless album came out today.
Simple pleasures indeed.
As luck would have it since I've moved into this place a few of my relatives have decided to have clearouts and starting decking their places out like shiny MFI showrooms. Spare furniture has been donated to yours truly, which is absolutely fine by me. Besides, I think older second-hand stuff actually gives a place atmosphere, rather than the sterility of something right out of an advertising catalogue.
So I now have a bigger bed and a lovely solid new coffee table. As chance would have it those are just a two of my favourite things; beds and coffee. Good stuff.
Parents has also brought over the biggest Sheppard's Pie known to man and left a good half of it in my fridge, which will last me a few meals. Utterly delightful to come home to in an evening and only have to microwave for a few minutes.
Nothing particularly important to report from the weekend otherwise. A mixture of work and few pleasures. I'm still buckling under the weight of study pressure and expectation. But all I can do is try.
Joy, though - the new Faithless album came out today.
Simple pleasures indeed.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Weekend
...And quite a nice one too thankyouverymuch.
Work released us in the early afternoon on Friday meaning I got a nice head-start on the usual rush-hour traffic. Arrived back at the parents' for tea, followed by my brother and his partner arriving a few hours later. The gang was all there, essentially.
I hadn't seen my brother for a good three months or so, as he'd been out in sunny Helmand Province in Afghanistan for a good while with the Royal Air Force. Great to catch up with him and hear some suitably weird & wonderful stories from that volatile part of the world. Nice also that he had his partner in tow as well. She's a lovely lass and I really hope it works out between them now that he's moving in with her. Wasn't sure about his last girlfriend, but this one I've decided has the sibling-seal-of-approval.
Saw Hull City along with 16,000 others at the KC succumb to two weak goals from an otherwise unimpressive Stoke City team. The BBC Match report is bullshit, they were must have been watching another match entirely. City dominated, the Stoke goalmouth was under constant fire - they were just lucky they converted their two shots on goal whilst City couldn't quite.
Come the evening we saw Casino Royale at the flicks, which was actually rather good. Gone is the techno-overdrive of Die Another Day. Casino introduces a leaner, meaner bond and explains the true genesis of his character. Ladies, you'll love his now infamous emerging-from-the-water scene, whilst I was mesmerised by the lovely, lovely Eva Green. *purr*
On an aside, I'm thrilled that both Craig and Green have been cast in the first film adaptation of Philip Pullman's Dark Materials Trilogy. I can now, after some thought, kinda' picture him as Lord Asriel, and she'll make a suitably enigmatic Serafina Pekkala. What, you haven't read the books? Do yourself a favour on these dark winter nights...
Sunday was equally chilled out; lazy Sunday morning coffees with family, then lazy afternoon coffees with friends.
Which probably explained why I had trouble sleeping last night, following a swift 90-minute return journey. Well, all the caffeine, the fact the house was freezing and the absolute roaring gale outside, the sound of which was magnified further by the large wood at the rear of the house.
Waking up and dangling my limbs out from underneath the oh-so-cozy covers was torture this morning.
And so began another week.
Work released us in the early afternoon on Friday meaning I got a nice head-start on the usual rush-hour traffic. Arrived back at the parents' for tea, followed by my brother and his partner arriving a few hours later. The gang was all there, essentially.
I hadn't seen my brother for a good three months or so, as he'd been out in sunny Helmand Province in Afghanistan for a good while with the Royal Air Force. Great to catch up with him and hear some suitably weird & wonderful stories from that volatile part of the world. Nice also that he had his partner in tow as well. She's a lovely lass and I really hope it works out between them now that he's moving in with her. Wasn't sure about his last girlfriend, but this one I've decided has the sibling-seal-of-approval.
Saw Hull City along with 16,000 others at the KC succumb to two weak goals from an otherwise unimpressive Stoke City team. The BBC Match report is bullshit, they were must have been watching another match entirely. City dominated, the Stoke goalmouth was under constant fire - they were just lucky they converted their two shots on goal whilst City couldn't quite.
Come the evening we saw Casino Royale at the flicks, which was actually rather good. Gone is the techno-overdrive of Die Another Day. Casino introduces a leaner, meaner bond and explains the true genesis of his character. Ladies, you'll love his now infamous emerging-from-the-water scene, whilst I was mesmerised by the lovely, lovely Eva Green. *purr*
On an aside, I'm thrilled that both Craig and Green have been cast in the first film adaptation of Philip Pullman's Dark Materials Trilogy. I can now, after some thought, kinda' picture him as Lord Asriel, and she'll make a suitably enigmatic Serafina Pekkala. What, you haven't read the books? Do yourself a favour on these dark winter nights...
Sunday was equally chilled out; lazy Sunday morning coffees with family, then lazy afternoon coffees with friends.
Which probably explained why I had trouble sleeping last night, following a swift 90-minute return journey. Well, all the caffeine, the fact the house was freezing and the absolute roaring gale outside, the sound of which was magnified further by the large wood at the rear of the house.
Waking up and dangling my limbs out from underneath the oh-so-cozy covers was torture this morning.
And so began another week.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Cold Water Music
My mood had already plummeted since Friday. I'd been due to go out on the evening with some work-mates but cancelled on them. We had a 'halfway' test earlier on that day and the result I got back was rather disappointing. I passed, but it felt like I scraped. I thought I was coping, I thought I was getting by OK, but clearly that was a big wake-up call.
This ain't easy, it never was going to be, and it isn't going to get any easier, anytime soon.
I don't know what to put it to, maybe it's my learning style, maybe I just clammed-up in the test. Maybe it's the fact that I'm not sleeping well, maybe I just need more good old-fashioned hard work, or more often than now, maybe it's my lack of self-belief.
So I text a friend to say that I would only leaden the vibes if I headed out with them, and that was that. Since I had no particular place to go, or anyone to see over the weekend, i just closed the door and let the weekend unfold at its own pace.
Spent most of this weekend...
Reading through Saturday's Guardian
Downloading new episodes of Lost and Battlestar Galactica through the wonder of YouTube
Weeding in the garden
Food shopping
Expertly finding new ways to avoid study before realising that that may be the key to my ultimate failure
Nursing bottles of wine
Reloading the washing machine a few times
Reading really interesting news articles online
Trawling Google/YouTube for aforementioned cheesy 80's track
Watching V for Vendetta
Playing any relaxed, funky loungy music to hand
Starting reading The Time Traveller's Wife
Going through some old clothes to donate to a charity shop in town
Sitting still, and listening to the quiet whisper of the gas fire as the day darkens into another cold night
Things are OK, if-.
Nah, forget it.
Been there before.
Anyway, again my quiet self-pity is put into sharp focus with breaking news from Iraq. Four British Servicemen are reported killed in Basra.
And, oh god, it's Remembrance Day.
This ain't easy, it never was going to be, and it isn't going to get any easier, anytime soon.
I don't know what to put it to, maybe it's my learning style, maybe I just clammed-up in the test. Maybe it's the fact that I'm not sleeping well, maybe I just need more good old-fashioned hard work, or more often than now, maybe it's my lack of self-belief.
So I text a friend to say that I would only leaden the vibes if I headed out with them, and that was that. Since I had no particular place to go, or anyone to see over the weekend, i just closed the door and let the weekend unfold at its own pace.
Spent most of this weekend...
Reading through Saturday's Guardian
Downloading new episodes of Lost and Battlestar Galactica through the wonder of YouTube
Weeding in the garden
Food shopping
Expertly finding new ways to avoid study before realising that that may be the key to my ultimate failure
Nursing bottles of wine
Reloading the washing machine a few times
Reading really interesting news articles online
Trawling Google/YouTube for aforementioned cheesy 80's track
Watching V for Vendetta
Playing any relaxed, funky loungy music to hand
Starting reading The Time Traveller's Wife
Going through some old clothes to donate to a charity shop in town
Sitting still, and listening to the quiet whisper of the gas fire as the day darkens into another cold night
Things are OK, if-.
Nah, forget it.
Been there before.
Anyway, again my quiet self-pity is put into sharp focus with breaking news from Iraq. Four British Servicemen are reported killed in Basra.
And, oh god, it's Remembrance Day.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Did something amazing today
(Apart from stealing that slogan)
I gave blood.
Never done it before, so it was a rather interesting experience to say the least.
Ooo, and free biscuits at the end which is always a bonus in my book.
After answering all the deep & probing questions I apparently have plenty of iron in my blood and it was a nice deep oxygenated colour. I am actually quite looking forward to finding out my blood group in the following week once they done all of their tests & things.
It's just a strange sight when they hold up a bag full of warm crimson-coloured liquid and you realise that just came out of you.
Annoyingly I can't drink for the rest of the day; frustrating as I'm just about to head down the pub to watch Man U v Arsenal (come on Arsenal!!). Nor can I have a glass of wine whilst watching Spooks tonight.
But seriously now, it's a mind-blowing thought to think that blood of mine will eventually be flowing through someone else's veins. It's a simple procedure, but it makes such a difference.
I gave blood.
Never done it before, so it was a rather interesting experience to say the least.
Ooo, and free biscuits at the end which is always a bonus in my book.
After answering all the deep & probing questions I apparently have plenty of iron in my blood and it was a nice deep oxygenated colour. I am actually quite looking forward to finding out my blood group in the following week once they done all of their tests & things.
It's just a strange sight when they hold up a bag full of warm crimson-coloured liquid and you realise that just came out of you.
Annoyingly I can't drink for the rest of the day; frustrating as I'm just about to head down the pub to watch Man U v Arsenal (come on Arsenal!!). Nor can I have a glass of wine whilst watching Spooks tonight.
But seriously now, it's a mind-blowing thought to think that blood of mine will eventually be flowing through someone else's veins. It's a simple procedure, but it makes such a difference.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
The weekend starts here
Wohoo!
The weekend just turned on its heel in the best possible way.
It's gone from, well frankly no plans at all to be honest, to hopefully joining around 120,000 other people for the totally sold-out Robbie Williams gig at Roundhay Park in Leeds. The support isn't half bad either; Basement Jaxx and Orson!
My good friend Becky bought the highly sought-after tickets a good while back, hoping to sell two of them on E-Bay for a profit. Fair enough, I thought, I would have been interested but didn't have money at the time. So apparently there's been a few distribution problems getting the tickets out, and therefore she won't have time to put them on E-Bay. Hence she's offered them to her friends for the cover price. Yay!
Now, thanks to my Police pay packet, I can actually afford to join them...
I was lucky enough last summer to get one get one the hottest tickets around; Live8. That proved to be one of the most awesome, and influential gigs I'll probably ever see in my life. Robbie was one the highlights on that day, and I'd love to see he again. He does what he says on the tin; crowd pleasing pop music with showmanship perhaps inherited from the late Freddie Mercury.
Can't wait!
The weekend just turned on its heel in the best possible way.
It's gone from, well frankly no plans at all to be honest, to hopefully joining around 120,000 other people for the totally sold-out Robbie Williams gig at Roundhay Park in Leeds. The support isn't half bad either; Basement Jaxx and Orson!
My good friend Becky bought the highly sought-after tickets a good while back, hoping to sell two of them on E-Bay for a profit. Fair enough, I thought, I would have been interested but didn't have money at the time. So apparently there's been a few distribution problems getting the tickets out, and therefore she won't have time to put them on E-Bay. Hence she's offered them to her friends for the cover price. Yay!
Now, thanks to my Police pay packet, I can actually afford to join them...
I was lucky enough last summer to get one get one the hottest tickets around; Live8. That proved to be one of the most awesome, and influential gigs I'll probably ever see in my life. Robbie was one the highlights on that day, and I'd love to see he again. He does what he says on the tin; crowd pleasing pop music with showmanship perhaps inherited from the late Freddie Mercury.
Can't wait!
Saturday, August 26, 2006
They're heeerrreee...
The parents are here for the weekend giving the new house the once-over.
Benefits:
Drawbacks:
Benefits:
- Quality of meals has gone up
- Use of a Ford Focus Estate to do an Ikea run tomorrow
- Suddenly the place isn't so empty
Drawbacks:
- So much for a relaxing weekend then
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Long weekend
I'd really hoped to do something with this bank holiday weekend, but any ideas I dreamt up seemed to be knocked on the head as soon as I explored them. Either friends were busy, places weren't open... Whatever it was, signs (call it what you will), were telling me that maybe I should grind to a halt for a change. It's easy to get carried along by the speed of life; that when you get a long weekend you have to immediately seize upon it and plan something big and meaningful to do with the time.
There's no harm in stopping and looking around every so often.
Trees are budding, bees emerging, swallows returning, barbeques lighting - all to the soundtrack of laughter and lawnmowers. Yes, it's a typically British spring. Or is it? Where's the rain, come to think of it?
No big dramas unfolding or threatening.
Just the unspectacular status quo.
Life is good.
I think.
Disturbs me a little when things are going good, you deliberately go looking for problems. Like sitting in a comfortable chair for the first time; you rock it a little and check the legs to see if it'll really hold you before settling into it.
After fifteen months I'm awaiting a letter from the Police in the next few weeks to give me the go/no for June. Everything's poised, ready to kick the next stage of my life into gear.
I think?
Busy drumming fingers on the table.
This silence is way too loud.
Someone please turn it down.
There's no harm in stopping and looking around every so often.
Trees are budding, bees emerging, swallows returning, barbeques lighting - all to the soundtrack of laughter and lawnmowers. Yes, it's a typically British spring. Or is it? Where's the rain, come to think of it?
No big dramas unfolding or threatening.
Just the unspectacular status quo.
Life is good.
I think.
Disturbs me a little when things are going good, you deliberately go looking for problems. Like sitting in a comfortable chair for the first time; you rock it a little and check the legs to see if it'll really hold you before settling into it.
After fifteen months I'm awaiting a letter from the Police in the next few weeks to give me the go/no for June. Everything's poised, ready to kick the next stage of my life into gear.
I think?
Busy drumming fingers on the table.
This silence is way too loud.
Someone please turn it down.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Joyous & poignant
Saturday was of course dominated by Rebecca's wedding, all of which passed without a hitch. Although cool overcast weather had been forecast, miraculously the clouds burned away by the time she exited the church a married woman. Reception and evening do were also great fun, the disco straying just the right side of cheesy.
Given enough alcohol, yes I do dance.
Definitely agree with what I was saying before too - weddings are weddings, but when it's a close friend or family member tying the knot it really is a joyous and somewhat poignant occasion. Oh, and also the Police-conversation thing I was mentioning...
Sunday I'd been invited along with the circle of friends to a sort of follow-up 'gathering' round at Becky's parents to chill for a bit and munch yet more finger-food before seeing them off on their honeymoon (complete with cans tied to the back of their car courtesy of her mischievous brother). Hung around with the friends for the rest of the day to chat, reminisce and play board games. I even cleaned up at Monopoly for a change (see, when you stop trying so hard things happen). A pub meal and drinks outside at sunset rounded-off a wonderful weekend.
I breezed into work this morning with a smile on my face and a mood as light as the air itself.
That lasted precisely an hour I think.
Ah well.
Later on this morning the strap on my pendant broke. Luckily I didn't lose it, but I've been wearing that thing for over ten years now and had only replaced the 'thong' recently.
I hope that's not a omen.
Given enough alcohol, yes I do dance.
Definitely agree with what I was saying before too - weddings are weddings, but when it's a close friend or family member tying the knot it really is a joyous and somewhat poignant occasion. Oh, and also the Police-conversation thing I was mentioning...
Sunday I'd been invited along with the circle of friends to a sort of follow-up 'gathering' round at Becky's parents to chill for a bit and munch yet more finger-food before seeing them off on their honeymoon (complete with cans tied to the back of their car courtesy of her mischievous brother). Hung around with the friends for the rest of the day to chat, reminisce and play board games. I even cleaned up at Monopoly for a change (see, when you stop trying so hard things happen). A pub meal and drinks outside at sunset rounded-off a wonderful weekend.
I breezed into work this morning with a smile on my face and a mood as light as the air itself.
That lasted precisely an hour I think.
Ah well.
Later on this morning the strap on my pendant broke. Luckily I didn't lose it, but I've been wearing that thing for over ten years now and had only replaced the 'thong' recently.
I hope that's not a omen.
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